Mechanical ball-pitcher.



W. F. WATKINS. MECHANICAL BALL PITCHER. wwucm'ou man JUNE 30, 1915.

4 SHEETS-SHEET I.

Patented Sept. 12,, 1916.

W. F. WATKINS.

MECHANICAL BALL PITCHEB.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 30,1915.

Patented Sept. 12, 1916.

4 SHEETS-SHEET Z 3/ W. F. WATKINS.

MECHANICAL BALL PITCHER.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 30. 1915.

A Patented Sept. 12, 1916.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

W. FfWATKlNS. MECHANICAL BALL PITCHER. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 30. 1915.

1 1 98,3 00 Patented Sept. 12, 1916.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

um/M701 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM F. WATKINS, 0F SPOKANE, WASHINGTON, ASSIGNOR OE ONE-HALF TO FRANK W. SMITH AND ONE-HALF TO CLARENCE L. UPTON, BOTH OF SPOKANE, WASI-L INGTON.

MECHANICAL BALL-PITCHER.

Patented Sept. 12, 1916.

Application filed June 30, 1915. Serial No. 37,271.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, WILLIAM F. WAT- KINS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Spokane, in the county of Spokane and State of Washington, having invented certain new and useful Improvements in chanical Ball-Pitchers, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention comprises a machine for pitching balls, preferably baseballs, or similar objects.

A primary consideration in the productionof this invention has been to, devise mechanical instrumentalities for projecting.

a ball forcibly, and by which are afforded practically all of the advantages, even greater advantages in fact, incidental to the manual pitching of a baseball as practiced commonly in the playing of the game of baseball. That is to say, the instrumentalities referred to are such that the machine may be caused to pitch a ball producing incurves, outcurves, drops, straight balls, fast and slow balls, and high and lowballs, as these terms are ordinarily understood in playing baseball.

A machine embodying the various features of this invention is susceptible of many uses. Especially is it desirable for actual outdoor and indoor baseball practice for batters. Again, it may be advantageously employed as ageneral amusement device at fairs, carnivals, expositions, or the like for throwing a ball to a batter paying for the privilege at suitable prices determined upon by the operator of the machine.

A further object of the invention has been to so design the operating parts of the pitching machine that the control of the ball inreference to the curving or noncurving of the same is automatically governed and not manually governed, whereby when the machine is used especially for the purposes last mentioned above the various persons paying for the privilege of batting balls pitched mechanically will be unable to determine in advance the character of ball thrown to them since the operator controlling the machine has no control over the nature of the ball pitched, speaking in baseball terms, and thereforecannot cooperate to favor one batter as against another, somethe instrumentalities governing the general action of the machine whereby to advise the operator in advance of the throwing of the ball that the latter is to be delivered from the throwing arm; and the provision among other things of specific instrumentalities conducive to the easy running of the machine in respect particularly to the operation of a centrifugally acting delivery or throwing arm, the utilization of peculiar devices for feeding the balls from a return way or equivalent receptacle to the throwing arm so that liability of more than one ball being thrown at a time is eliminated,

and the construction of the various parts of the machine such'that the entire machine is very light and therefore easily transportable, and the parts may be assembled and disassembled with great ease, all with resultant advantages of obvious importance in an invention of this class.

In the drawings: Figure 1' is a perspective view of a machine embodying the essential features of the invention. Fig. 2 is an end view. Fig. 3 is a detail view bringing out more clearly the feed mechanism including the delivery devices by which the balls are supplied to the pick-up arm. Fig. l is a view of one of the side sections of the throwing arm. Fig. 5 is a view of the other section. Fig. 6 is a detail perspecnism shown at D, the latter being under the control of the operator who governs the entire action of the machine.

Beginning with the throwing mechanism A, it will be noted that a stand 1 is provided at the upper ends of which are located the standards 2, said standards being provided with suitable bearings in which is mounted the-operating shaft 3. The operating shaft 3 carries the throwing arm 4: which consists preferably of a hollow arm supplied with the ball controller 5 at its free or outer end and having its inner or axial portion considerably enlarged to form a ball receiving chamber. The throwing arm 4' is secured in any suitable manner for rotation with the shaft 3 and is preferably made of similarly formed sections detachably connected together by bolts or similar fastenings at meeting edge flanges 4 provided on the sections. The receiving chamber of the arm 4 is provided with a ball receiving. opening at one side and a feed conduit 6 supported by a standard 7 has its. delivery end arranged substantially coincident with the said receiving opening, the other end of the conduit being enlarged in a funnel-like manner as shown at 6 to receive the ball at this point.

On the shaft 3 is a belt wheel 8 connected by a belt 9 to the corresponding wheel 10 on the drive shaft of the motor 0, which motor whenin operation therefore is adapted to drive the shaft 3 at greater or less speed and correspondingly rotate the throwing arm 4, the action of the latter in conjunction with the controller 5 being such that the ball is delivered from the throwing arm bycentrifugal action in a manner which will be more fully understood hereinafter.

The feeding mechanism for the throwing arm includes a pick-up member 11 fixedly mounted on a controlling shaft 12 which is suitably supported in hearings on a bracket 13 projecting from one side of the stand 1, the motor being supported likewise on a bracket 14; extending from the other side of the stand. The pick-up member 11 is provided at its free end with an annular ball holder 15, really a ring, and the balls 16 areadapted to be deposited on and in said holder 15 from the return way or supply conduit 17 which is inclined so that a ball will immediately gravitate to the holder 15 as soon as released and permitted to do so. Associated with the supply conduit 17 is a feed shaft 18 having fixed thereon arms 18*,

18*, and 18, the latter formed with an exten- I sion 18 connected by a spring 19 with the support which carries the shaft 18. The arm 18 is formed with a curved extremity 18 adapted to be struck by the pick-up lever 11 as said lever moves downward to bring the holder 15 to the delivery end of the conduit 17 suchaction forcing the arm 18' laterally suiiicient to disengage the adjacent arm 18 from. the ball 16 at the delivery end of the conduit 17 whereupon this ball will drop into the holder 15. During this delivery position of the member 18 the arm 18 is in a position in advance of the ball next to that delivered, thereby preventing this ball from moving to the position in rear of the arm 18*, which position was just previously occupied by the delivered ball. When, however, the pick-up lever 11 is raised to carry the ball holder 15 and the ball therein upward and to deliver said ball to the feed conduit 6, the pressure on the arm 18 is released and the spring 19 oscillates the shaft 4 to raise the arm 18 as limited by the stop loop 20, and correspondingly carry the arm 18 into a position extending across the conduit 17, this action permitting the next ball to be delivered to move beneath and beyond the arm 18 until its further passage through the conduit 17 is resisted by the arm 18. On the next downward movement of the lever 11 said ball will be delivered from the conduit in the same manner as described above.

.The means provided for operating the pick-up lever 11 to carry a ball from the supply conduit 17 to the feed conduit 6 includes an arm 21 on the shaft 12 connected by a link 2:2 with an operating rod 23, the latter being in turn connected by a link or rod member 24 with a lever 25 on the table 26 forming a part of the controlling mechanism D, and at which table the operatorof the whole machine will preferably be seated. The movement of the lever 25 obviously is adapted. to oscillate the shaft 12 sufficiently to impart back and forth movement to the pickup lever 11 in an obvious manner.

The ball controller and its associated mechanism may now be described. Said controller 5 is seen best in Figs. 8 and 9 and, comprises a frame of somewhat U-shape pivoted intermediate its ends at 27 to the delivery end of the throwing arm 4. Said frame has mounted on the sides thereof the ball controlling elements 28 which preferably consist of rollers each having pro]ec tions on a portion of its surface and being smooth on another portion of its surface.

If desired for reasons more apparent hereinafter, these projections may be of gradually increasing size or instead of projections the surface portion of each roller may be roughened as an equivalently fllIlCt10l1- ing means. A release pawl29 normally engages the end of the frame of the controller 5 opposite its axis and the sides of the frame extended beyond the axis carry normalizing weights 30 susceptible of adjustment therealong. Intermediate the sides of the frame the throwing arm is preferably provided with a ball contact extension 31 assisting to direct the flightof the ball when delivered by said arm through the instrumentality of the controller 5. Normally when no ball is disposed in the arm 4 during rotation of the arm owing to the centrifugal action of the weights 30 there would be no tendency for the controller 5 to assume release position. However, when a ball is received by the arm 4 and owing to centrifugal action moves to the delivery end of the arm where it is detained by the controller 5, the weight of this ball is sufficient to readily overcome the re-. sisting centrifugal action of the weights 30 and thus on release of the controller 5 the latter will move outward or toward a posi-- tion practically in alinement with the arm 4 and the ball will be thus delivered and forcibly projected from the arm 4 at a speed depending entirely upon the speed of rotation of the arm, in an obvious manner.

Next will be described the means to govern the release of the controller 5. Said controller is released by disengagement of the pawl 29 therefrom. Said pawl 29 is connected by a rod 32 with the armature 33 of a solenoid 34 carried by the enlarged axial receiving portion of the throwing arm 4 and rotatable therewith. lhe solenoid 34 is included in an electric circuit comprising a wire 35 leading from the solenoid 34 to a suitable point of connection with the arm 4. The solenoid is likewise connected with a contact member 36 on the throwing arm 4 and said contact member 36 is cotiperative with the brush 37carried by an adjustable disk 38 mounted on the shaft 12 which disk is preferably made of insulation. The circuit wire 39 leads from the brush 37 to the rheostat 40 or any equivalent controlling means, whereby to control the speed of themotor C, there being suitable other circuit wires 41, 42 and 43 connected with the motor and with the rheostat 40 establishing a circuit the main switch of which is designated 44, the opening and closing of the latter governing the starting and stopping of the motor in a conventional manner.

The closing of the circuit including the solenoid 34 is effected by means of a contact 45 on the shaft 12, coiiperative with a contact 46 on the bracket 14, which contact 46 is connected by wire 47 with the motor C. The disk 38 constitutes not only a carrier for the brush 37 but is a belt wheel also, a belt 48 connecting said member with a pulley 49 on the shaft 12. The pulley 49 is connected by a rod 50 with an operating rod 51 similar to the rod 23 previously described and the rod 51 is furthermore connected by the rod 52 with a lever 53 at the operators table 2, said lever being adjustable by means of ordinary sector and latch devices 54 and 55 respectively. The circuit wires and connections mentioned are intended as merely suggestive, since the connecting up of the same may be conventional and according to the desire of any experienced electrician.

General description of 0pemti0n.-The foregoing describes practically all of the main controlling instrumentalities. It should be noted that it is contemplated to employ a screen, net or similar barrier 56 in front of the machine, said barrier being provided with an opening through which the ball will pass as it is delivered from the throwing arm 4. Some distance behind the net is located a signal in the form of a protected electric light 57, said light being connected by a wire 58 with a contact 59 on the bracket 13, said contact 59 being cooperative with a contact arm 60 on the shaft 12 and similar to the contact arm 49 previously mentioned. A suitable circuit wire 61 leads from the contact 59 to the motor and thus the signal 57 is located in the circally or electrically operated in conjunction.

with the other mechanism of the machine should such be desirable within the purview of the invention. In order to start the pitching machine the switch 44 is closed, thereby starting the motor C andcausing the rotation of the shaft 3 and throwing arm 4. The speed with which the ball is to be delivered by the arm 4 is determined by the operator by movement of the controlling member 40 of the rheostat or controller 40. A change of pace, speaking in baseball terms, for the throwing arm 4 is thus obtainable and correspondingly variation in the speed of the ball delivered bythe arm 4 is governed. To cause the delivery of a ball by the machine the operator will first actuate the lever 25 which through the rods 24, 23 and 22 will rotate the shaft 12 to lift the pick-up lever 11 and carry a ball from the conduit 17 to the conduit 6 from whence it passes into the throwing arm 4 now rotatmg at the proper speed. By centrifugal action the ball passes to the outer end of the arm and rests against the ball controller 5. By the movement of the lever 53 the position of the pullev 49 and the disk member 38 may be adjusted to correspondingly position the brush 37 in relation to the contact 36 to determine at what time in the rotation of the throwing arm 4 the ball shall be delivered. Necessarily the position of the throwing arm 4 in its rotation in which the or knee balls, or in other words, high, me-

1. positions automatically assumed in the opdium, or low balls. Of course during the rotation of the arm 4 the parts 36 and 37 intimately contact but not until the shaft.

12 is adjusted so that the circuit including the solenoid is closed at the contacts 45 and 46 will the ball be discharged when the contacts 36 and 37 meet. The ball being now held by the throwing arm, the latter being rotated, the speed of the movement of the arm 4 being already adjusted by the member 40, and the'height at which the ball is to be thrown to the batter being also already determined by the position of the lever 53 and member 37, the operator then pulls the leVe1: 25 rearward or in a direction away from the throwing arm, thereby returning the pick-up lever 11 to the conduit 17 to receive another ball, and causing the contact to strike the contact arm 59 initially to operate the signal 57. Momentarily after the operation of the signal 57 the contact 45 meets the contactv 46 of -the solenoid circuit so that the latter is completely closed when the contact arm 36 meets the brush 37 during the rotation of the arm 4. The energizing of the solenoid through the closing of its circuit draws down thearmature 33, exerts a pull on the rod 32, and tilts the pawl or catch 29 out of engagement from the ball controller 5. The controller 5 is thus released and the ball speeds from the arm 4 through the opening 56 of the barrier 56 to the batter Whose task it is to hit theball if possible.

The curving of the ball or whether it is a straight ball or not depends upon the eration of the machine, by the controlling devices or friction elements 28 of the ball controller 5. If it happens that the roughened or projection surfaces of both of these elements 28 are innermost as the ball leaves the arm 4, the friction between the ball and i said elements 28 will eflectively curve the ball for what is known as a drop ball. On the other hand, if only one of the rollers or elements 28 happens to be positioned with its roughened or projection surface to engage the ball it is obvious that an incurve or an outcurve will be imparted to the ball, dependent upon which one of the said elements has a tendency to retard the ball as it drops and also dependent on whether the batter is a right or left handed batter. The spinning of the members 28 upon their axes, somewhat determined by the speed of the J for arm 4 in its rotation, governs the positions which will be assumed by said elements 28 when they stop turning. Consequently the manner in which the elements 28 will act upon the ball at the next throwing operation is determined mechanically in the above manner. However, it is clear that the operator can in no-way definitely control the positioning of the members 28 and the curvature'or manner of flight of the ball incident to the operation of the controller 5.

Once the ball has left the arm 4 the centrifugal action of the weights 30 causes the controller 5 to be restored to its normal position engaged by the pawl or catch 29. After the discharge of the ball from the arm 4 under the control of the lever 25 said lever is forced forward or toward the arm 4, thereby, of course, breaking the contacts 45, 46 and 59 and 60 and carrying the pick-up lever ll-upward to convey another ball already delivered to the ball holder 15 to the feed conduit 6 for the performance of another cycle of operation of the machine.

It is contemplated to provide corrugated members 4 within and at the outer extremity of the tubular throwing arm 4 to slightly retard the ball as it is pitched by the arm, preventing it from leaving the arm too quickly.

I contemplate making various changes in the detail construction of the operating and controlling devices hereinbefore described consistent with the broader aspects of my invention as determined by the scope of the claims appended hereto.

Having thus described the invention, What is claimed as new is 1. In a mechanical ball pitcher, the combination of a tubular throwing arm, means operating the same, a ball feeding conduit leading to the tubular portion of said arm, a ball supply conduit, means for supplying balls to the ball feeding conduit, a ball controller on the arm for detaining the ball from being thrown, manual means controlling the release of the ball from said controller, manual means to operate the means to carry the ball from the supply conduit to to rotate the arm at high speed, means to vary the speed of rotation of said arm, a ball controller carried by the arm, and means for varying the action of said controller to release the ball from the arm at different points in the path of rotation of the arm.

said controller comprising means to cause curving of the ball during its movement after thrown by the arm.

3. In a mechanical ball pitcher, the combination of a rotative throwing arm, means to vary the speed of rotation of said arm, a ball 4. In a mechanical ball pitcher, the combination of a throwing arm, means for operating the same, a ball controller carried thereby and comprising self-adjusting means to vary the path of movement of the ball,

after it is discharged by the arm,-and means coacting with said controller to operate the same for release of the ball from the arm at difierent periods of time during the movement of the arm.

5. In a mechanical ball pitcher, the'combination of a tubular throwing arm, means for operating the same, a ball feeding con-- duit leading to the tubular portion of said arm, a ball supply conduit, means for sup plying balls to the ball feeding conduit, a ball controller on the arm for detaining the ball from being thrown, manual means controlling the release of the ball from said controller, manual means to operate the means to carry the ball from the supply conduit to the feeding conduit and alsolcontrolling the operation of the ball controller aforesaid, and a signal operable by the last named manual means at a predetermined time in advance of the release of the ball from a throwing arm.

6. In a mechanical ball pitcher, the combination of a throwing arm and operating means therefor, means for supplying to said arm objects to be projected, a controller on the arm for detaining objects from being thrown, manual means controlling the release action of said controller, and other manual means cooperative with the controller to determine its operation.

7. In a mechanical ball pitcher, the combination of a rotative tubular throwing arm, means for supplying balls to the tubular portion of said arm,,means for rotating the arm, means for varying the speed of rotation of the arm, means for variably controlling the release of the ball from the arm during rotation of the latter, the last mentioned means including a device to govern the path of movement of the ball after dis-. charge.

8. In a mechanical ball pitcher, the combination of a rotative tubular throwing arm,

means for supplying balls to the tubularportion of said arm, means for rotating the arm, means for varying the speed of rotation of the arm, means for variably controlling the release of the ball from the arm during rotation of the latter, the last mentioned means including a device to govern the path of movement of the ball after discharge and consisting of a self-adjusting friction element adapted to contact with the ball as the latter leaves the throwing arm.

9. In a mechanical ball pitcher, the combination of a rotative tubular throwing arm, means for supplying balls to the tubular portion of said arm, means for rotating the arm, means for varying the speed of rotation of the arm, means for variably controlling the release of the ball from the arm during rotation of the latter, the last mentioned means including a device to govern the path of movement of the ball after discharge and consisting of a self-adjusting friction element adapted to contact with the ball as the latter leaves the throwing arm, and a signal operable previous to the release of the ball from the throwing arm.

10. In a mechanical ball pitcher, the combination of a tubular throwing arm, means for operating the same, a ball feeding conduit leading tothe tubular portion of said arm, a ball supply conduit, and means for carrying balls one by one from the ball supply conduit to the ball feeding conduit.

11. In a mechanical ball pitcher, the combination of a tubular throwing arm, means for operating the same, a ball feeding conduit leading to the tubular portion of said arm, a ball supply conduit, means for carrying balls one by one from the ball supply conduit to the ball feeding conduit, a ball controller on the arm for detaining the ball from being thrown, and manual means controlling the release of the ball from said controller. I

12. In a mechanical ball pitcher, the combination of a tubular throwing arm, means for operating the same, a ball feeding conduit leading to the tubular portion of said arm, a ball supply conduit, means for carrying balls one by one from the ball supply conduit to the ball feeding conduit, a ball controller on the arm for detaining the ball from being thrown, manual means controlling the release of the ball from said controller, manual means to operate the means to carry the ball from the supply conduit to the feeding conduit and also controlling the operation of the ball controller aforesaid.

13. In a mechanical ball pitcher, the combination of a tubular throwing arm, means for operating the same, a ball feeding conduit leading to the tubular portion of said arm, a ball supply conduit, means for carrying balls one by one from the ball supply conduit to the ball feeding conduit, a ball controller on the arm for fdetaining \the ball from bein thrown, manual means con trolling the release of the ball from said controller, manual means to operate the means to carry the ball from the supply conduit to the feeding conduit and also controlling the operation of the ball controller aforesaid, and a signal operable by the last named manual means at a predetermined time in advance of the release of the ball from the throwing arm.

14. In a mechanical ball itcher, the combination of a throwing arm, a ball controller carried by said arm for detaining the ball from being thrown, means for operating said arm, means for varying the speed of movement of the arm, a signal, means for supplying balls to the throwing arm, and means common to said signal, to the controller and to the said ball supplying means for cooperatively controlling the operation of said instrumentalities.

15. In a mechanical ball pitcher, the combination of-a throwing arm, means for operating said throwing arm, a ball controller carried by said arm for detaining the ball and releasing the same for, discharge, and means to operate said controller comprising a solenoid including an armature, a connection between said armature and the controller, and means for energizing the solenoid to cause movement of the armature and release action of the controller.

16. In a mechanical ball pitcher, the combination of a throwing arm, means for operating said throwing arm, a ball controller carried by said arm fol-detaining the ball and releasing the same for discharge, means to operate said controller comprising a solenoid including an armature, a connection between said armature and the controller and means for energizing the solenoid to cause movement of the armature and release action of the controller, a ball supply conduit, a ball feeding conduit leading to the throwing arm, a pick-up lever for carr ing balls from the supply conduit to the feeding conduit, manual means for operating sa d pick-up lever, and means controlled by said manual means to govern the action of the means for energizing the solenoid aforesaid.

17. In a mechanical ball pitcher, the combination of a throwing arm, detent means on said arm for preventing discharge of a ball therefrom, a solenoid controlling said detent means, means to energize the solenoid for releasing said detent means, and means to vary the time of energizing of the solenoid relativelv to the movement of the.

arm,'substantially for the In testimony whereof ture.

purpose set forth. I affix my signa- WILLIAM F. WATKINS. 

